Fashion Passion, Looking Up To Didier Drogba & Friendship with Hamilton

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This Sports Conversation represents an innovative program in which leading personalities from sports and show business participate with presenter Kelly Somers for frank and detailed dialogues about football.

The program examines mental approach and motivation, covering defining moments, career highlights and individual insights. This series reveals the individual beyond the athlete.

Reece James began training with the London club at the age of six and - after developing through the youth system and into the senior squad - is now club captain.

James announced himself to Chelsea supporters in impressive fashion, scoring on his first appearance in a 7-1 victory over Grimsby Town in September 2019.

Now 25, his professional achievements so far include earning his international bow against Wales in 2020, winning the European Cup with his club in 2021, and being appointed club captain in 2023.

However, his journey hasn't been without challenges, with a series of injuries affecting him over the past four seasons.

James sat down with the interviewer to talk about his career highs, the Brazilian's impact, and his relationship with multiple Formula One title winner Lewis Hamilton.

Kelly Somers: First question: name, your origins, and what's your coffee order?

Reece James: The name is Reece James, I was raised in Mortlake, near Richmond - I'm sure many will recognize that area. My beverage is a specific coffee type.

Kelly: Was it consistently a flat white?

Reece: Not exactly, it started with, like, flavored coffees and similar drinks.

The presenter: Let's start by discussing soccer. What does football mean to you?

Reece: Essentially, from a little kid, it was practically my entire focus in school. I wasn't exactly the most academic student, and I just loved playing football.

The interviewer: Your first recollection of participating? Is this tough to respond to because it represented a significant aspect of your childhood and growing up?

James: Not particularly, simply due to my memory is quite poor. My first remembrance was probably, I don't know, going to watch my sibling play. He's two years older than me, and he also participated as well.

Kelly: It was big in your family, wasn't it, because your father was so heavily involved? He's a football coach too, isn't he? Tell me a little about that.

The athlete: So we were three children during childhood. It was all football mad, and he obviously was a coach as well, and we used to train extensively with him.

Kelly: Do you remember a lot of those sessions? Since I learned that starting from the age of four, you were outside and he conducted drills with you in the yard.

James: Yeah, I remember - the training began early. Thankfully, they proved beneficial for me and my sibling [the club and England attacker his sister].

The interviewer: Talk to me about your first ever team that you represented as a child, what was it called, and your memories?

The defender: My recollection is limited, to be honest. It was Kew Park Rangers in Kew. I believe I played for about twelve months. From that point that talent spotters noticed me for the professional club.

The host: And you weren't a defender at initially, were you? Talk to me about your role evolution and how that changed...

Reece: I began as a striker, and then subsequently transitioned to wide positions, left wing, right wing, and eventually to central positions, and then eventually at right-back, and I disliked it at the time.

The presenter: What caused your dislike for it?

The athlete: Because I always wanted to play midfield. You didn't touch the ball as much but eventually it just clicked and I've been a defender since.

Kelly: You mentioned you began as a forward - who served as your idol?

James: The player I admired was [Didier] Drogba. I grew up as a Chelsea fan during youth and he represented the player I looked up to.

The host: Can you think of a pivotal moment in your professional life - a moment that has shaped you and the professional you have become?

Reece: I would probably say the loan spell. Bridging the gap between academy and first-team football is most challenging and this represents probably what most players transitioning upwards find difficult.

Kelly: You're talking about Wigan, naturally. Why did Wigan become the ideal team for you at the time? The location was distant from everything you were familiar with in London - why did it work so effectively?

James: The first thing is that I featured consistently, which proves beneficial. I gained a lot of experiences - I moved away from my friends and family and had to mature fast. Playing on a regular schedule assisted significantly.

The interviewer: Who has had the greatest influence on your career?

The athlete: I would say [Brazil defender] Thiago Silva. He is nearly old enough to be my father and has played at the highest level for many years. He consistently attempted to help me from the minute he arrived and still does, even now he is departed [after leaving the club in that year].

Kelly: How specifically would he help you?

James: These were small pieces of advice away from games. During matches, he would sometimes observe situations that I saw alternatively and try and paint a different picture.

The presenter: It was undoubtedly nice to meet him this summer [at the Club World Cup]?

The defender: It proved great to see him again. I'm happy that his club did well in the tournament [they were defeated in the semi-finals to eventual winners Chelsea]. It is always good to see him.

Kelly: If you could go back and replay one match in your career, what would you choose?

Reece: If the outcome is going to be the same - it would be the European Cup decider.

Kelly: Besides victory, what made it exceptional about that night